It's RC&D Week!

Sunflower RC&D staff from Harper, Kansas, prepare for distribution of  supplies for for Greensburg, Kansas area tornado survivors (NRCS photo — click to enlarge)

This week, 375 resource conservation and development (RC&D) councils across the country are celebrating RC&D Week, declared in recognition of the anniversary of the designation of the first 10 RC&D areas.  In the past 44 years, the program has grown from that first 10 to 375 designated areas that cover over 85 percent of the United States and its territories.

Joan Smith Freeman, President of the National Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils, expressed appreciation to the thousands of RC&D council members who celebrate the national community service that RC&D Councils provide to America.  “The strength of RC&D is that local people create solutions for local needs.  In these times of economic downturn, RC&D councils are invaluable in solving community problems in conservation and community development. RC&D Councils are far too important to go unnoticed in our communities,” Freeman said.

Conservation districts and RC&Ds across the U.S. work hand in hand to promote and implement conservation at the local level.  Districts sponsor nearly every RC&D in the country and often have a representative on their local RC&D councils.  In many cases, local conservation district officials are involved with a conservation district project and RC&D project simultaneously.  The National Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils also partners with NACD at the national level.  RC&Ds are made up of volunteers who serve their communities in all 50 states and US territories.  RC&D Councils identify, address and solve the challenges needed to sustain and improve the quality of life in their own communities.
Your contact is NRCS public affairs specialist Fred Jacobs at 202-720-4772.